The Consequences of Unfinished Business
by Josie4am
Summary: In which Inojin struggles poorly with emotions. Note: This is a continuation of the oneshot Unfinished Business but the two can be read separately, I think this is the most self indulgent rarepair crap ive ever written lmao
1. The Consequence of Blood

As protocol suggested, on one of our first official team outings we went to the town clinic had our medical history filed and analyzed.

We thanked aunt Sakura as walked us out. I vaguely recalled her telling me to pass on a message to my mother. I obliged pleasantly.

"This is pretty cool I can't believe we have official profiles now!" Chocho was glued to her card as we exited the hospital.

"Yea it's alright." Shikadai could not fool us we saw the darkening on his cheeks.

"What if I do this?" She grabbed his card just out of his reach.

"Tsk, give that back!"

She passed the card to me behind her back and I started to back away laughing. He eventually broke through her defense and came after me. I jogged backward lightly, hiding his card behind my back.

It was cute how he stubbornly tried to mask the desperation in his face as he frantically grasped for me.

Chocho produced a small bag of crackers from seemingly nowhere and watched on amused.

His eyes were brilliant when the sun hit him at the right angle. He caught my arm, his touch surprised me and I tripped on myself and we fell over.

I felt his weight, his warmth flush against my body, still gripping on to me determined to not let go. He gripped me harder than he ever had with the intention to hurt me. I remember part of me being happy for it.

All I could hear was Chocho attempting and failing to stifle her laughter.

I sat up and he peeled himself off me, dazed. It'd never seen him like.

That day is seared into my mind forever, it was the first time I'd seen him make faces I'd never seen before.

"Give my card back you thieves." I said as I held it just out of his reach. He grasped and reached and huffed, his brow furrowing in frustration. It was something I enjoyed looking at, his reaction made me not want to give it back.

"Hey I don't have it." Chocho said casually.

"This isn't fair and you both know it."

My eyes scanned his card, Nara, Shikadai, genin, birthdate September 23rd, Blood type AB, ah here were the juicy details.

"Nara, Shikadai, 180 in intelligence, 130 in negotiations, 112 in dexterity, 90 in strength, 145 in perception, and 120 in chakra-"

"Oh god I probably weigh more than both of you combined." Chocho said clearly entertained.

"Give it back you asshole!" The green eyed boy crawled and climbed at me.

"Where did you even pull those snacks from?" His warmth was oddly comforting.

"Don't talk like I'm not here!" His voice held more rage and energy than I thought he was capable of.

"Don't worry about it."

"You're the worst, you're worse than Boruto!" He exclaimed, his voice shaking with anger.

"Uh well I've got a thing so peace." She made her graceful exit to avoid how the awkward aftermath.

He got up and began to walk away from me furious. I'd taken it too far; I can never tell when I've taken it too far until it too late.

I suddenly didn't know what to do with my hands or where to look or how to feel. I couldn't stand to be behind him where he couldn't see me and I couldn't see him.

I would rather die than see his back like that again.

He turned his head, green eyes blazed with fury. That fury in his eyes directed toward me would have to also be added to that list.

"I'd never do anything like this to _you._ "

"I-I'm... I didn't think you'd get so mad." I said handing back his card. He snatched it back indelicately.

Then we were at an impasse, he looked at me blankly.

Silences with Shikadai were always comfortable but in this moment he felt lost and the silence felt like it would encroach on eternal unless I did _something._ Unsure of what to do I pulled mine out too.

"Yamanaka, Inojin. 100 in intelligence, 120 in negotiations, 126 in dexterity, 80 in strength, 160 in perception, and 140 in chakra-"

"You're so dumb." He said finally, cheeks flushed again. "Come on lets go try that new RPG."

An interesting detail caught my eye, we had the same blood type, AB.

Surprised at my new found power to get under his skin and his ability to forgive me so quickly, I followed.

"If you say so."

Looking back it was obvious Aunt Sakura always knew. How could she not? I'm not concerned, she's known my mother for too long to say a word. I did not know too well Sarada but Oba Sakura's hands were probably full with her own... Well, it's not my business.


	2. The Consequence of Emotions

It didn't take long for me to realize I was different from the other kids. They had wild thoughts and endless energy, hopes, dreams, what have you. I never concerned myself with those things, I was forever in the real world, attuned to its cruelties, wanting to be on the side of the darkness that called to me. I could out think the other kids, I never related to them.

My team had been together long enough understand each other. Shikadai and I had always understood each other but Chocho was a pleasant surprise. I admired her clam demeanor. She was also too present to let anything other than reality concern her. Her calm nature was soothing to me and I admired her. I knew she was catching on to my nature fast but was either disinterested in the full story or was afraid. I was glad to call her a friend, but either way I appreciated she kept her distance.

It didn't take long for me to learn how to act like them. All you have to do is smile or laugh when it's considered appropriate. On a good day I didn't feel anything. On a bad day I felt like I had no agency over my actions or emotions or lack thereof.

It was so easy to act the way that people expect you to act, it grew tiring. But then there was Shikadai, the human embodiment of what I felt inside. The only difference was where he was emotionally illiterate I was emotionally incapable. I was a small distinction but an important one and so I couldn't bring myself to act like him.

I don't know if I was keeping up with him or he was keeping up with me.

"I think there's something wrong with me"

"Yea its taking us forever to finish this quest."

"No I mean, I like it when other people are upset."

"You aren't talking that bullshit again are you."

I refused the respond.

"You're full of it sometimes. There nothing wrong with you man at least not the way you think."

"Then what's wrong with me?"

"You suck at this game."

"Tsk." Boom. Head-shot. "What were you saying?"

"Troublesome, never mind."

"Play again?"

"Yea."

He drew his eyes away from the screen as did I. I felt something. I couldn't tell what it was.

"I don't give a shit about what other people think Inojin."

"You seem kind of worried about what I think."

The game mode started and our characters were dropped in the worst zone ever.

Furiously we panicked, shooting without aiming. After a second I took in the map we had been dropped onto, it was the jungle zone. It would be difficult to pull off but a plan formulated in my mind.

"Hey don't die." I warned him

He grunted.

I went down as if shot and rolled away, and began climbing a nearby tree. Shikadai was holding them at bay. Not only did I have to work fast I had to be accurate, the climbing mechanic in this game was god awful so no one else ever thinks to get the high ground in this biome. Once I was up I was home free, methodically I sniped the enemy teams for far too long, once the enemies began focusing their efforts on taking me out they opened themselves up to Shikadai.

The match ended quickly. Our team ended up getting third place but we also got the most kills between the two of us.

"Idiots." I mumbled.

"I worry 'bout what you think because we're in it together." His wrists, tense for the duration of the game finally relaxed. His eyes looked tired as if I made him tired, I don't know why he always allowed me my moods.

The something I felt grew, warming myself from within.

"Your mom came by with flowers again."

As I got older I'd realized she would without fail make this arrangement once a year. Temari Oba was always away no one ever gave my mother enough credit for being brilliant.

"Yea she likes making arrangement as presents." I wasn't sure what I meant but I had an idea. To this day I still don't understand how Shikadai never saw it.

"She's really pretty." I never knew what to do with this statement from him.

No one wants to think of their parents in that way but the fact that He never refused my mother was an early red flag that even I considered.

I couldn't blame her as I looked over at my friend. He was never afraid of things that were deemed important and always made them more casual than delicacy called for.

He was the only one that made me feel normal. He was the only one that made me feel.


	3. The Consequence of Contact

My irritation grew every time I looked over at his desk and he was not there. Shikadai skipped class again today. To add insult to injury Boruto was also noticeably absent.

The last bell rang and the class burst into chatter. Someone asked me what I'm heading off to and I answered behind a smile not bothering to register their face. They were satisfied with my answer and waved goodbye.

I felt myself withdrawing.

Begrudgingly I waited for him after class at our usual comic book store. If anyone tried to stop me on the way to the store I did not register it, if anyone tried to greet me all they got was my cold stare. I didn't have to but it's what we agreed upon.

I saw him before he saw me. He showed up looking uninterested as ever but I knew he was going to retell the adventures he'd had that afternoon whether I asked or not. I hid my face behind the comic I was buried in. My efforts were useless, without looking around he knew to look for me by the Bet Man display, the newest issue was out.

He probably knew I was only half listening.

"- and she promised she wouldn't tell sensei. I'm just glad I stopped Boruto in time from pulling his crap." He cornered me, one arm lying flat against his side, one arm up against the display, its wrists twitching with tension. He was trying too hard to act casual, he was expecting something and I was happy to give it to him.

"Why do you hang out with him if you don't like him." I grumbled. I knew that I was getting bad because even I could hear it in my voice. He sighed predictably.

"Why do you hang out with me if all you do is get angry?"

"I'm not always angry." We starred, willing the other to speak.

"It's complicated." He finally grumbles.

"It's not complicated, he bores and annoys you just don't hang out with him then." Even I knew i was being ridiculous, I didn't understand why he was humoring my mood. He didn't belong to me. Regulating who or when other people hang out is obsessive and manipulative but I couldn't stop the venom leaking out of my mouth.

"It's complicated. He isn't, he's not like you if that makes sense."

Another comic I'd been waiting for caught my eye and I made a beeline. A heard soft shuffling footsteps behind me.

"He's like this weird idiot, or weird extended family. Everyone expects me to be responsible for him."

Now I was torn between the new Bet Man and new Folks Tales. From the tone of his voice his eyes should have begun to furrow. Good.

"You know me, idiots bore me."

"Everyone's dumb to you."

"You aren't." I looked up.

Sure enough his wrinkled ridge led to a most perplexed Shikadai looking as if he was searching for something. Whatever it was it was lost within himself.

"What do you mean?" Guilt struck me and I felt sick to my stomach, why do I always take pleasure in my friend's grief?

"You've got everyone thinking you're one way when you don't give a shit about most people."

"So I'm a shitty person?" His eyes widened with surprise ever so slightly then settled back into his detached look.

"Whatever, Inojin man you should come with us sometime. " He was no longer entertaining my mood; honestly he lasted longer than I thought.

"No it's not the right thing to do." I felt the urge to distort that resting face and decided to hit him at his pride and joy: his moral compass.

"We've been saving people and I've been keeping Boruto out of trouble how's that not the right thing to do." His nostrils flared ever so slightly. How cute.

"You act all high and mighty about what's right and wrong but then you go and skip class all the time I don't get it." I snapped, suppressing a grin.

"Woah man it's just class. You're arbitrarily assigning value." He raised an eyebrow, I was laying it on too thick and he knew something was up. "Let's be real you and I could run circles around most of those kids."

He was right but I didn't think he knew I thought that way.

"You still shouldn't skip with him you should be doing something like... I don't know training?"

" Look man I'm sorry I blew off training. But if you want to train with me you should skip class and we could go out in the town and save people and help them like fully fledged ninja do. I don't see anything wrong with that."

"Well we're just doing free work without getting paid then." I said examining my wallet, I sighed. I guess I'd have to choose.

He snatched the books from my hand and disappeared.

"Hey!" Something caught my eye before long.

"I always invite you." He returned with a paper bag, extending his hand out to me. "You never come."

He dangled the comics in front of me.

"I guess you're not above bribery." He scoffed.

"Come on man, don't be boring. Think of the shit we could pull off!"

What kind of a face would he make if I took his hand instead? I cracked just a tiny bit, for a split second a smile broke through my defenses. It was all he needed.

"Come on dude, come next time." He nudged my side as per usual and I steeled myself. What the hell was I even thinking?

He grabbed my hand and placed the bag in mine. For a moment my hand held his and for a moment the world was new, numb, and exciting. I felt invincible, it was like nothing I'd ever felt before. The moment was over before it began but it wasn't my imagination, it had happened. I was changed forever in my own secret eternity.

"Fine. Why did you do that?" I stared at my hand.

"Oh my uncles visited recently and they gave me a bunch of money."

Turning his back to me he yawned and placed his hands causally behind his head and led our departure from the store. How could he be so casual?

"Thank God you're so annoying when you're pouting. Just save us some time next time and say yes."

The numbness I worked hard to mask melted away and I swore I felt the sound of bells and the hum of the earth. My dead wrists hung by my sides weighed down by the weight of his purchase.

To my heartache we walked in silence. I was trapped by his side; nothing could pull me from him.

How did he do that?

Did he feel it too?


	4. The Consequence of Proximity

The first time I went to Suna it was with Shikadai.

We were so innocent back then.

We were at the age of secret looks and hidden muted touches.

"How did you even find me?" My irritation with him had reached an all time high that winter, so imagine my level of patience when he appeared out of nowhere to hound me about a sore subject at my favorite salad bar during my lunch break.

"You love eating here." He said with a practiced bored countenance as he sat across from me. My last respite now sullied.

I chose to take another bite of my lunch rather than respond.

"I know you want to ditch me." He wasn't wrong. I continued to consciously chewed my food and swallow.

"I'm busy." I finally said after finishing my bite, the irritation begin to crease his brow.

"Come on I know you aren't doing anything and I know you aren't going on any big missions anytime soon."

"I can't hear you over my chewing." I said, motioning to my lunch.

"I don't know why you won't go with me to the Esports final."

"My mom would worry too much, speaking of which I should get back to the shop-"

"I can talk to Ino. And she won't. You'll stay with my family." He paused to watch me in that way of his that seemed to linger just too subtly. "I thought you couldn't hear me over your chewing."

"And I thought you were taking Boruto." The crease of his brow deepened.

"Dude, you know I don't want to take him. His dad wanted him to go so he could go to some meeting stuff Suna, I don't know." His shoulders tensed. " My old man said I didn't have to if I didn't want to so."

"Well you've been hanging out with him a lot."

"You've been busy!"

"Yea and when I'm free you're with him. I thought we were, you know." I knew I was being ridiculous, but still, it sucked. "Friends."

"Inojin you're being-"

"I guess I'm just your back up."

"You know that's not true." His eyes widened earnestly ever so slightly. Good, at east he was being honest.

I didn't respond. I didn't know how.

"My uncles the Kazekage we'll probably have stupidly good access and get to meet the players." He said, attempting a new strategy.

"Go ask your new best friend." I was already getting up to leave when a warm hand gripped my shoulder. His touch was so startling I nearly failed to steady my nerves.

He had a word that quivered on his lips. Something in me stirred, I could not allow him to beg.

"Fine." I could not help but feel as if he had been catching onto what I could only describe as my soft spot for him.

He didn't look happy or overjoyed, he just looked normal. I was disappointed.

"You can be such an ass, don't walk away from me again." His voice firm and unyielding like a command. I felt my face darken. His eyebrow twitched ever so slightly.

"We leave in 4 days." He left as suddenly as he appeared leaving only my ticket as proof.

We took a train and He saw us off, I was always thankful Shikadai was more readable than that man.

"I surprised he's still hanging around." Shikadai finally said, starring in the direction of his father until the station disappeared altogether.

"Maybe he's nervous about being responsible for another kid." I said, not looking up from my handheld.

"Not bad huh?" He asked, referring to how accommodating and luxurious our train cart was. We had a reserved cart with extra plush seats that doubled as rather comfortable cots, extra leg room, extra overhead storage, a complimentary gift basket, extra outlets, and pre-provided blankets.

"It's ok."

"Ah come on, I know you like nice things." Although he could have laid down on the seat across from mine he climbed across to my seat and leaned heavily on my side to get a look at the screen. "More than I'll ever care for them."

A frantic electronic chime rang out.

"Are you getting your ass handed to you?"

My hand slipped distracted by the sudden sounding of blood rushing and my heart beating. I made my character used a capture ball instead of potion _in a pvp!_ Needless to say I lost the match.

"Wow you really suck." He said nonchalantly, his breath hit my neck ever so slightly and I felt myself redden. I couldn't calm myself, I was trapped with him and the way he made me feel. The thought only further flustered me.

Exasperated I let out a sigh and rebooted the game at my last save.

"Shit! My last save was two towns ago." It would take way too much time to get back to where I was.

"Amateur mistake."

I growled.

"You're majorly distracted huh?"

"Get off me."

"Troublesome, I was getting comfortable."

He peeled himself off me to grab something in upper compartment and I don't know what possessed me look up.

It was just out of place, the sensual promise of something more, a subtle glimpse that said so much about me and not him. The sliver of his stomach revealed by his stretch made my mouth dry. I regretted I'd said anything. It wasn't that I hadn't seen him shirtless or anything that was standard practice on grungy missions and training session. At that point I'd long since come to accept my feelings for him despite my lack thereof emotions for much else.

But all I could remember was thinking fuck, I'm gay.

"You're staring." He said as he glanced down.

"You're literally standing in front of me and there's nowhere else to look because the suns pouring in."

"You're red"

"I'm pale." I replied almost a second too late. "All I do is get red, we don't all tan perfectly like you."

I could have sworn he smirked. Smug asshole, he thinks he's won something hasn't he?

Now that would not do, I have to cool my head, I thought, standing.

"Woah, y-y-you're, whats going on?" A flustered Shikadai stuttered as we suddenly became nearly chest to chest.

"I'm just going to the bathroom, 'scuse." I felt him freeze as I purposefully brushed a hand lightly on the back of his bicep as I passed.

Now it was my turn to suppress a smirk as stood in the hall.

"Excuse me sir, we're still departing Konoha so I'm going to have to ask you to stay seated until we-" She was a slim woman with a light brown hair with side swept bangs with an asymmetrical ponytail. Her brown eyes were bright and her face was round with a pointed chin giving her a rather innocent look. She was very, very pretty for the type of pretty she was. But I didn't feel like playing around today.

"I'm so sorry, I'm afraid I'm not used to transportation, is there somewhere I can splash some water on my face?" I asked as my face arched apologetically in a disarming manner. The professionalism on the young woman's face dropped for a second.

Other people are easy. All it takes is one second for others to make up their minds.

"O-oh of course!"

The way she focused all her attention on me, the way her pupils dilated ever so slightly, the way she leaned in, she was smitten already.

"Could you point me in the direction please?"

"If you keep going straight, there is a bathroom at the front of this cabin, to your right."

"Thank you."

"Its my pleasure," she smiled sweetly. Oh maybe id play with her a little bit.

"Your bowtie." I said pointing to her neck.

"What?" She was caught off guard, looking down.

I felt another smirk coming on.

"It's croocked-here- let me just-" I said taking a step toward her with my hand outstretched.

"Uh, go right ahead! I didn't even notice." She said tilting her head back.

I pretended to straighten her bowtie on her uniform, and she blushed ever so slightly at how close I was.

"Ehehe, thank you, just let me know if you need anything on your journey!" She called after me.

With a cool head I finally returned to my cabin, hoping the girl from earlier would not try to find excuses to check up on my cabin. I didn't know why I did that, she knows where I was staying for the next few hours and all.

Shikadai had, in the time I was gone, successfully retrieved his handheld system.

"I wasn't sure if they would have a bathroom."

"Of course they would, its a train."

"I've never ridden a cross country one, I wouldn't know."

"You should come with me to Suna more."

"I don't know if I'd really want to."

"Fair, I think this is the first time I've been excited to go."

"OH?"

As I sat down he casually propped his legs up against the wall and laid his head down on my leg as if it were a pillow. He could have laid down on the other seat and had the entire space to himself but he chose to lay on mine with me. He turned on his game as if his behavior wasn't unusual. I permitted him with my silence.

"I'm glad it was you."

He wasn't speaking to me, not really.

"Boruto would have driven me insane." Our electronics beeped away.

The ride was uneventful. We made quick work of the food in the gift basket and vaguely discussed the implications of our respective characters in our games' lore.

Before long we'd fallen asleep.

The same cheery voiced stewardess woke me from my peace.

"Boys, the time is now 8 pm and we will be approaching out destination in an hour, can I interest you in some-"

"Two sandwiches and two waters." I grimaced between my teeth. She eyed me and the position that Shikadai and I slept in for a moment but said no more. She was obviously irritated with me now but I didn't particularly care or look at her as I handed her the money.

I woke up my friend to remind him to eat. He grumbled incoherently.

"Come on man we have to eat."

"Troublesome," He rubbed his eyes. "I was getting-" his words were distorted with a yawn.

"What?"

"Never mind, what did you get?"

I handed him a sandwich and a water bottle.

He got up and sat across from me. It took a second before we both reacted.

"My leg!" we screeched in unison as we clutched our respective legs.

"Ugh my legs were propped up so long It feels like theres no blood."

"Your dumb stupid heavy head killed my leg!"I grumbled trying to stretch out.


	5. The Consequence of Formailty

Temari Oba picked us up at the station.

"It's you." She saw when she greeted me, not masking her displeasure.

When she pulled her son into an embrace and opened her mouth to fuss over him I could smell the alcohol on her breath. She mumbled something about Boruto.

She left in a flurry. A guard chased after her leaving the other to escort us to the Kazekage's property.

We walked quietly, both tired from the journey. Shikadai dismissed the guard when they approached his usual room.

"Well If I could accompany you to-"

"He's staying with me its fine," Shikadai interrupted curtly waving the guard away.

"This is so official I didn't even know he was talking to me for a second." I said when he was out of earshot.

Despite the dim lighting I could tell the room was ornately decorated more so than his room back in Konoha. The room didn't look very lived in. Intricate purple and black masks decorated the middle section of the longest wall like a feature. Some figurines from odd phases he'd gone through here and there lined a shelf I could probably pinpoint the exact age he got each one if I really tried. But for the most part the shelves were cluttered with books no one had ever read or had any interest in reading. A desk with a similar notebook aligned too nearly rested off to the side of the giant bed that faced a surprisingly modest TV. The carpet was soft and nicely kept like it was brand new. Between the ceiling lights, floor lamps, and the desk lamp there were entirely too many and I was thankful he'd only turned on the desk lamp. It didn't feel very much like him at all

"So this is where you stay huh."

"Most of the stuff in here isn't even mine but this just kind of became my room after awhile."

"Where should I put my stuff?"

He grunted so I occupied the closest corner to where I stood and began to unpack.

"The bathrooms behind the bed." He drew the curtains closed. Back tense, wrists were stained, something was undoubtedly bothering him.

"Mmm." I responded for the sake of affirmation. He himself threw his backpack on the bed and grabbed his toiletries and disappeared.

"Suna wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to worry about how or who I talk to. There's too much of these stupid formalities flying around everywhere amnd expectations just because I'm the Kazekage's nephew. This place is different than Konoha and I get that. That's one thing I'm kind of jealous of Boruto for. No one really expects him to wear stuffy clothes and bow." I rolled my eyes at him.

Shikadai seemed more at ease now.

"Come on I know you'd hate it if you had to get all dressed up and had to act all stupid just cause I'm someone's nephew."

"I wouldn't mind but it would kill you."

" What can I say? You know my dad and my mom. Come to think of it I think Uncle Gaara is the only person in my family that cares about formalities."

"I can't imagine you wearing fancy clothes."

"Ugh I always have to when I'm here, especially if there's a meeting"

"Do you have pictures?"

"Fuck off." His brows creased.

"But now I really want to know." His annoyance became my fuel as always.

"Why?!"

"I've never really seen this part of your life before."

"It's troublesome and boring. No one is ever straightforward with what they want to say and feel."

Suddenly the air was tenser than I had expected it to be.

He looked at me apologetically. Eventually he sighed.

"That closet by you is full of stuffy clothes. Go nuts."

"Wha?" Curiosity got the best of me.

A selection of heavily robed clothes laid in front of me. My fingers wrapped around the fine garments, they were made of some kind of linen that was cool to the touch. I had to give the Sand credit for their fine embroidery and craftsmanship for the intricacies in the sets, especially since the color selection wasn't much to look at, a lot of black, brown, neutrals, and purple accents. Most of them included some sort of a hooded feature, a raised neckline and billowed capes. They seemed less form fitting than official robes of Konoha. Considering their aesthetic value they were all a perfect blend of pomp, comfort, and practicality.

I picked up a neutral toned linen robe with a light purple hood and dark blue stitching.

"These don't really seem that bad on the spectrum of stuffy clothes. "

"I don't like that they flow in the wind so damn much, there's no good reason why clothes should have to do that."

"Can I try this on?"

"I said go nuts." His voice distorted as gave a satisfied yawn from stretching and lounging on the bed.

The process wasn't as simple as I thought it would be. At first glance the garment I'd chosen did not look form fitting but the lining seemed like some sort of snug semi elastic drapery. It was a weird silken mesh that was cooling to the body but at the same time acted as a barrier to the harshness of the elements or as a first line of protection against surprise attacks.

I'd never seen very many pictures of these types of clothes but I knew I'd done something wrong. I couldn't figure it out, the lining seemed looser than the garment itself, it bunched up and looked wrong, making visibly unattractive bumps and valleys against the expertly crafted outer layer. On top of that the high neckline stopped right under my eyes making it easy to see the problem areas easy to spot in the mirror but made it impossible to look down.

The sound of furious fidgeting and the swish of fabric eventually caught his attention.

"I'm gonna get yelled at if you rip those." He said looking over at me from the huge bed.

My eyes caught his.

"I've made a mistake." My voice was comically muffled.

"You look fat." A corner of his mouth stretching up for form a lopsided grin.

"I don't know what I did wrong." I said rolling my eyes. They were the only part of my face that was exposed and they were all I had to work with to express my displeasure.

I could see the corners of his mouth quivering, forcing back a laugh.

"For a smart guy you're really dumb." He slid off the bed fluidly as if drawn to me.

"Hey what the-" his hands were strangely rushed and imprecise as he unzipped and unbuttoned me.

"I should have known you'd pick this one." Expertly he went to work, not even glancing down but rather at me, seemingly through me. I tensed his touch was foreign and exciting as his hand brushed against my stomach, tugging gently at the lining. His closeness wasn't undesirable it just, for someone who spent so long being so numb the rush of feelings and sensations was overwhelming. It was hard to think straight.

"Why?"

He crossed the bottom layer across my chest, pressing it impossibly gently against me. He took the other layer of lining and crossed it over, tucking it into the now formed waistband. My mind was a haze, I'd made a mistake somewhere, I couldn't handle this. Silently I thanked the raised neckline and the layers of clothing that separated him from me that hid how flush red I must have been turning.

"I don't know, It reminds me of you." He looked at me coolly in the mirror as if this was normal. I finally breathed unaware that I was holding my breath.

He started on the outer jacket, buttoning me up. My brows furrowed.

"I kind of like it when everything has a place and a role and rules to follow." I said continuing the conversation from before. "You know exactly what's going to happen and how it's going to happen. There's no dumb second guessing and wondering about how the other person is going to react or if you're going to upset anyone or what to do it they are. There's no confusion. I don't know how to act half the time and then when I do what I want people get upset so I might as well just stick with tried and true rituals that won't confuse or hurt anyone."

"You don't actually think that."

"No, I can do-" I said placing my hands on his. My fingers slid so easily between his, I stared down, my fingers tangled in his, icy pale skin between warm golden tanned skin.

"I-I'm almost done," he said, pulling his fingers from mine.

The stutter, small as it was did not go unnoticed to me. Just as I'm sure the reddening of my hand where we intertwined did not go unnoticed to him.

He spun me around so I could see myself in the mirror. I swung my arms back and forth and marched in place to get a taste of how it felt and looked. Surprisingly he fussed over me, always finding a reason to keep a hand or a few fingers on me.

"It's not that bad."

"Well it looks fine on you. It looks stupid on me." Despite the layers of clothing I couldn't help but feel exposed. He was examining me as if I was hiding something and he wasn't wrong.

Shaking hands folded down the neck piece of the robe.

"On official business we fold these things down. They're only supposed to be up during travel to keep sand out." His hands lingered ever so slightly around the neck piece and his eyes met mine in the mirror.

"I never would have thought they-"

He wasn't rough, no he was incredibly, incredibly gentle. I eagerly gripped his hands which clung to my neckline. Everything around me faded like a discordant decrescendo. Whatever darkness that I always possessed swallowed everything as I began to be surrounded by something deep that had always been inside of me and he, he was there with me. For the first time, something, a feeling in me lingered. The part of me that remained only did so because of him, his presence cut through the darkness like knives through deep sand.

Shikadai was always rough around the edges. Despite that, for his gruff behavior and all his disregard of pleasantries and formalities, he was a gentle soul. All he ever wanted was to do the right thing.

The greedy darkness was finally quelled; the insatiable thirst within me was finally put to bay. I always told myself that being next to him was enough, but I was proved wrong.

His lips left mine and he stepped away.

I was too overwhelmed, I felt forever marked, like I could never stop craving the taste he left. I fought the urge to step toward him, he suddenly seemed too far from me. For the first time in my life I felt small and out of control.

His lowered his head ever so slightly obstructing his face from me, rubbing his neck as an excuse to keep himself from me. He looked surprisingly embarrassed, a look he did not wear often. Surely he didn't regret his actions?

"Its better to not have to dance around your words and actions." He said quietly.

"I'm going to take this off." I said finally, unsure of how else to advance the timeline. I turned away from him to reach the back buttons. Warm hands pushed mine aside to undo the clasps.

"Just let me do this for you." I'd never heard his voice so soft before. I dropped my hands and let him touch me behind his half formed excuse. Between each button, which seemed to talk ten years to navigate, a sliver of his skin would hit mine. He was so close. Before long he left to resume his position on the large bed. Despite the distance his thick presence seemed to track my every move.

I said slipping my sleep pants back on. I grabbed my t-shirt and in a split second decision I tossed it aside. Turning to him, I dared him to say something, anything.

"Do you have games here?" My voice shook more than I would have cared for it to.

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye and his jaw clenched which comfortingly confirmed in my mind that I had a power over him the same way he had power over me. I slept with a shirt on and he knew it. Shikadai proceeded as if nothing had ever happened save the way his eyes lingered on my figure. Even I had enough sense to not address IT unless IT came up but that didn't mean I couldn't be cruel.

He pointed to a drawer underneath the TV and I made my way over.

"Anything you feel like playing?" I pulled out two controllers.

No response.

Indiscriminately I slid in the first cartridge that I recognized the popular fighting game. He was lying down stretched out near the edge of one side of the bed. I assumed a comfortable ready-to-game crossed legged position next to him.

The electronic music started up and I quickly pressed start through all the title sequences.

"Do you want items on?"

He looked up at me. His green eyes seemed exaggerated and full of life in stark contrast to his default detached look. Wordlessly he turned onto his back and grabbed a controller.

"Your pick."

"Is three lives ok?"

He sighed.

"I'll do five."

The round went fast; I wrecked him with three lives left.

"I don't even own this game." I said as the victory screen flashed on the TV.

"I can't see the screen too well." He grumbled.

"You don't have to lie like that."

All too casually he flipped onto his stomach and reached up to wrap his arms around my hips abandoning his controller along the way.

"Hmm." His heavily lidded eyes closed and he audibly took a deep breath. Thoughts crept back in, thoughts that disappeared when his lips met mine. I was happy with them gone and didn't want to ruin whatever delicate situation we had presently.

"Well now you've made it even harder for yourself."

Shikadai reached up and removed the controller from my hands and promptly replaced it with his own. Unsure what to do with my free hand I squashed the dark voices within myself that threatened to ruin the moment and placed it on his head.

I closed my eyes. Familiar silence fell over us as the game's electronic melodies played on. I could feel sleep begin to embrace me.

A deep echoing sounded from outside startled me. I jolted up which jarred him from his slumber as well.

"Midnight." He said sitting up and began to pick up our controllers.

"Does that happen every night ?" I buried myself under the covers trying to recover the warmth that I had grown accustomed to.

"Mhh."He made quick work of wrapping the controllers' cords and shut everything off.

"I guess you're used to that."

He grunted. As he turned the lights off.

"Are you going to bed then?" I asked.

"I'm tired as hell."

"I noticed. But I'm confused since all you did today was sleep."

"Happy birthday."

"I almost forgot, I'm nineteen now." I thought out loud as his weight sunk the bed. "This place is so different from Konoha."

I turned on my side and began to slide over to allow him room, unsure of what the protocol here called for. Before I could get far he grabbed my waist and pulled me close.

"I'm glad it was you." He whispered into my ear with a softness that he only afforded to me.

The impossible gentle tone of his voice and his hot breath against my neck caught me off guard, I hissed. I felt the amused vibrations of his rumbling as he planted a soft kiss strategically on my neck. It wasn't so much the kiss that got me but his excited breath on my exposed skin.

"...Wow" He commented after a delay.

"Shut up." I said rubbing my neck while prying him off me in frustration.

"Aw come on don't be a kill joy," He struggled to keep his grip.

"You- You're an ass!" I flung my arms around him and shut him up in the most effective way I knew how. Thoroughly agitated, I no longer cared about being gentle or inhibitions. I gave into my hunger tossing his hair and tasting his lips. I was relentless, capturing his lips over and over again when he came up for air. When he couldn't stand it I began to assault his neck with a random pattern of soft and hard kisses not bothering to hide my ragged breathing.

He gasped, still unable to catch his breath. He was lost in me, his care and gentleness gone. As he tried to desperately ground himself in reality he gripped me harder with his rough hands. I could feel bruises coming on where he handled my body. It didn't matter, I was in control.

Without a warning I flipped over on my side again.

"We have a long day tomorrow." I said coldly.

"You-you're an asshole."

I smirked.


End file.
